One evening over dinner, our esteemed country guide revealed his customer service practices. Once committed to the relationship, he did not let petty costs stand in the way of making the customer’s expectations come true. Unlike in our culture (I presume), this included paying unanticipated “fees” to service providers when the other option was to disappoint the customer. His hospitality extended to upgrading people when they didn’t deserve it, and behind the scenes, negotiating upgrades to our accommodations here and there.
The most spectacular upgrade was rooms for us in the historic yet modernized Palace section of the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. Presidents, Royalty, PMs, celebrities and financial moguls walk these corridors. The décor is opulent. Flowers are arranged in bouquets three feet in diameter and four feet high. A butler is on your floor to serve your every need. Only, I am not butler-trained and only wished he would quit enlightening me on the room’s many facilities and let me flop on the bed.
Which made me think about management issues (not the Taj Hotel’s objective). Is “over-the-top” worth the expense? I would have been just as impressed by “really good”. People on our tour had various views on this, so there is no pat answer. Good managers should analyze how much service is optimal before committing organizational funds.
I think we all have a range in which we believe that we are getting value for money. Below that, we feel ripped off; above it, we can be uncomfortable with what we see as opulence, excess, or waste. As a supplier of services, I have to remember not to do too much for my clients. If my performance standard exceeds theirs by a little, I'm a hero. If I exceed by too much, providing Great when they just wanted Good Enough, I'm not doing my job well. I am, in fact, making them uncomfortable by imposing an emotional obligation they didn't sign up for.
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